When we think of Valentine’s Day, a romantic
dinner with flowers, wine, a beautifully cooked meal and chocolates
comes to mind as the typical Valentine’s Day date. Our actions are made
with good intentions although many of us do not know the full
implications of how our Valentine’s Day choices impact the environment
and societies– including us!
No one wants to think about the potential
pesticides sprayed on their food, the green house gas emissions from
transporting flowers, or the child or slave labor used to harvest cocoa
beans for chocolate. When viewing these impacts, Valentine’s Day is
actually quite depressing!
Don’t despair! There are many choices
available that don’t have such a huge impact on the environment and
humans. It’s easy to impress your loved ones even more this year and
show them the extra care you took in putting a new ‘eco-friendly twist’
on your Valentine’s Day celebrations by passing your efforts and gifts
through a sustainability ‘lens’. Your mission is to look for choices
that:
1. Reduce the use of petroleum and its by-products
2. Are non-toxic
3. Support the health of natural systems
4. Support fair wages and international labor standards
Here are some suggestions for you:
Romantic Dinner
– whether it’s a night out or a home cooked meal, one of the best ways
to incorporate sustainability into your meal planning is to find a
restaurant that offers organic options or uses locally grown produce in
their meals. Check out
www.localharvest.org/restaurants
to search for one near you. If you’d rather stay at home and exercise
your culinary skills, focus on organic and/or locally grown foods. The
benefit is you reduce your carbon footprint, are in support of local
agriculture and agriculture initiatives that protect the planet and your
long-term health. If you choose to splash out on seafood, look for
fish varieties that are certified by sustainable seafood initiatives
like Marine Stewardship Council. Finally, when choosing a bottle of
wine, the perfect pairing for any meal is choosing a wine that is made
as locally as possible to reduce the use of petroleum in its transport
from the vineyard to your table.
Candle Lit Romance
– Candles are perfect for setting the mood – at the dinner table, to
lead up to a surprise or to relax in the bath! While the US Food and
Drug Administration deem paraffin wax non-toxic, it is made from
hydrocarbons (a byproduct of petroleum), a substance we need to shift
away from. As well, some candles contain chemical based fragrances and
wicks with lead wires – both a big no-no from a toxicity point of view.
Your best alternatives are to look for candles made from 100% beeswax
or vegetable based-wax, use cotton wicks and natural aromatherapy oils
for fragrance.
Chocolates
– Hmmm – many of us cannot get enough of this dark, sweet, white and
dipped stuff, especially on holidays! The sad reality of the chocolate
industry is that it has a reputation as dark as the sweet treat. Slave
and child labor, unfair wages to farmers and pesticides used in the
growth of cocoa beans for chocolate are issues that continue to plague
the chocolate industry. Recently Purdy’s Chocolates committed to
sustainable cocoa farming initiatives and companies such as Divine
Chocolate USA, which is 45% owned by the farmers, are great options for
your chocolate gifts from a sustainability perspective.
Flowers –
The classic and much loved way to express your sentiments on so many
occasions are to send flowers. Although beautiful, the ugly truth is
hidden from view: almost 90% of the roses sold for Valentine's Day have a
huge carbon-footprint and are pesticide intense in their cultivation.
According to Justmeans.com, “In Colombia, flower-plantation workers are
exposed to 127 types of pesticides and flower farms have polluted and
depleted Bogota's streams and groundwater. 20% of these pesticides are
illegal in Europe and America.” If you give flowers to your loved one
this year, choose an organic bouquet if possible from one of these
retailers:
www.organicbouquet.com,
www.californiaorganicflowers.com, or flowers sold at Whole Foods, Trader Joes or on
www.flowerbud.com that are “Veriflora Certified Flowers”.
Typically these ‘alternative’ choices do
not cost more than traditional ones and the added benefit is to know
your choices are contributing to maintaining your health and the health
of the environment. I couldn’t think of a better gift to receive on
Valentine’s Day!
To your green family success!
Tracy
